Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Every year we try to compile some sort of list for people to check out new bands. Last year we did our favorite release(s) of 2010 and that seemed to go over well. This year on the other hand we will be doing a long list (with audio samples) of about 15 “must hear” bands for everyone to check out. The list below is opinion based, so don’t get butthurt if your favorite band isn’t included.

Monday, October 24, 2011

As some of you may know, we recently made the move to add a Toxicbreed's Funhouse tumblr to the growing list of Social Networking sites we use. We are already closing in on 300 followers in 3 day now, so if you have a tumblr and want up to date news on what we're up to or just music news in general, I suggest heading over and following it.

The tumblr WILL NOT become our main site, but it will just be used for news and random plugs (New Releases/Tours).

A389 Recordings have announced they will be releasing the debut LP by Portland Oregon's, shoegaze outfit ANNE. Titled 'Dream Punx', the LP will consist of nine tracks of material pulled from the band's self released mixtapes as well as new/unreleased studio recordings.

ANNE has also completed a video for their first single 'Virginal Plight' which will be making it's debut on the AOL Music site SPINNER.com this upcoming Thursday, October 26th, 2011. The band will then embark on a West Coast tour a week later (dates below).

A radical departure from the dark/heavy hardcore bands that predominantly make up the A389 Roster, label head Domenic Romeo was unsure of how A389's audience would take to the band. He explains... "I fell in love with ANNE's songs from the first listen, and wanted to help them get their music out there... I just wasn't really sure how". The waters were tested by including the track 'Get It How You Live' on the annual "A389 Digital Mixtape" compilation (alongside label heavyweights Integrity, Gehenna and Pulling Teeth).

"The general reaction spoke for itself." continues Romeo, "Almost every listener, including the other bands on the compilation, hit me up asking to hear more from this Anne band".

Well the wait is over and the wheels are in motion. 'Dream Punx' is set to officially be released on vinyl via A389 Recordings on November 28th. The album will also be available digitally through the retailer of your choice. Catch them on tour and you MIGHT get your hands on an early bird copy of the LP. No promises.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Armada follows up their debut 7" with a 12 song CD/Cassette that blurs the lines between hardcore and punk rock. This quick punch-in-your-face will make you wonder how those punks that used to ambitiously jump on every show are now paving the way for new kids to follow.Pre-order it now!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://armadahc.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-bastards"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Songs for Bastards by ARMADA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

The first experience I had with Black Kites was seeing them live in a tiny basement, with a ceiling barely taller than the shortest person in the room. I had never even heard of them prior but I immediately fell in love with their unique blend of Hardcore and Screamo. They blazed through their set not missing a note, and despite there only being one guitar, Black Kites is heavier and fuller than most bands out there. Instantly after starting up the split I found myself completely satisfied with the results. Black Kites open up with Sleep Easy, a song that truly shows their range as a band. From chaotic and noisy to completely structured and heavy, Sleep Easy has just about something for everyone. Black Kites continue to relentlessly beat through their 6 songs, coming in at just shy of 9.5 minutes.

With the same amount of songs Convulsions track in about twice the time as Black Kites. Listening to this split is my first exposure to them and I have to admit that the opening track Gasoline threw me off a bit. Gasoline is filled by discordant guitar working, overlaid with off key mellow and clean vocals, creating an awkward atmosphere. Convulsions seem to lay the trap though, and I surely fell for it, because within the first moments of the second track Decompression Sickness they change their tune. The music changes from low key/laid back to upfront and brutal. Convulsions mix a lot of sludgy elements with many aspects of modern powerviolence. Driving guitars and vocals really bring out the intensity of their side. What I find so impressive about their side, is their numerous changes in tempo and vocal styling.

The bottom line is this split is not to be overlooked. Both bands showcase their ability to mesh many styles of music into one coherent sound. This split isn’t excessive in any way; it is short and to the point.

Edit: I was unaware until now that the first track by Convulsions was a cover. I am not going to change the review because I think they really made the song in a lot of ways their own, but just so you know I felt the need to correct my earlier ignorance to this fact.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Former Rot In Hell vocalist Nathan Bean introduced the world to Unholy Majesty via a demo cassette released on his Hemlock Thirteen record label. Featuring members of UK bands such as Cold Snap, Age of Kali and Santa Karla, UM deliver three tracks of holy terror inspired metallic hardcore on their debut outing that perfectly combines the best elements of Integrity, In Cold Blood, Ringworm and Rot In Hell.

With the super limited H13 pressing of the UNHOLY MAJESTY demo cassette selling out so quickly, A389 have taken the reigns, and will be giving the songs a proper vinyl release during the upcoming winter months.

Check out the UNHOLY MAJESTY track 'The Owl And The Serpent' streaming in the A839 media player

Saturday, October 15, 2011

After an excellent demo and the digital/limited tape release "Erase Me//Embrace Me", Code Orange Kids quickly became a band to watch for myself and many others in the hardcore scene. Their debut 7 inch "Cycles" not only meets but exceeds expectations with some of the most intense and emotionally draining hardcore I have heard in some time. Falling musically between the frantic pace of Trash Talk and the sludgey crust of bands like His Hero Is Gone, these 5 songs are immaculately crafted and seamlessly move from one track to the next, meant to be taken at once as a one wholly intense piece of music. The first 4 tracks blaze by with faster passages leading into crushingly heavy breakdowns that would hardly sound out of place in a doom metal song. The 5th and last song on this record is an entirely different beast in itself, with a ridiculously heavy and slow passage leading into an emotional buildup of vocals and guitar that could channel early 90's screamo, eventually leaving nothing but vocals until it breaks out into one of the heaviest and most intense moments on a record that isn't short on either. Fans of heavy metallic hardcore should look no further then the links below to both stream and purchase this outstanding 7 inch release. After listening to this record nonstop most of the day I am confident it will end being one of my favorites released this year, and I am beyond eager for their upcoming US tour, not to mention whatever they plan to release next. Most definitely a band to keep your eye on.

OVERVIEW: The EP really has a very slow start to it. The first three opening tracks are very trotting and the EP failed to really catch my attention until the fourth track. This is definitely where the EP makes a turn-around for me. The middle songs are all very catchy, very punchy and all have a great feel to them. The sounds and vibes here get fairly diverse. A few tracks have a cool, grungy vibe to them, which is definitely something I can dig. But, unfortunately, just as the EP seemed to be building up to something break-through, it just flopped over again and disappointed me. I was really expecting the momentum from the middle of the EP to carry over to the later songs, but they just feel rehashed and bland. The opening and ending of the album feels like I’ve heard it all a thousand times before. All in all, it’s not a bad release, but it is still fairly lacking. Worth a spin, but don’t get your hopes up.

Friday, October 14, 2011

So in running a small indie label I tend to get some press kits in the mail from time to time, and the majority of them are not what I am looking for as far as releasing music goes. Or maybe I do but the plans for the upcoming year permit me to venture on new projects. But in that doesn't necessarily mean that these demos are deemed "un-worthy". And I figured instead of listening to them and storing them away in my "Demos" box, I will share the info on these new and upcoming groups!

Great Reversals is a band from Michigan. In this well packaged demo CD they deliver four tracks of well structured melodic hardcore. Powerful and yet passionate delivery from the vocal section. Which reminds me of early Bane. The actual music department excels with much more ingenuity of later Have Heart and other in that realm. The lyrics display very sensitive, real life subjects such as raising a child with Autism. Which is something I can't even imagine dealing with. Judging by the quality of the recording this seems to be their most recent material. The band its self has been around for roughly two years and have been playing shows consistently. So far they have released an initial demo and self released a split 7" EP with They Come In Waves. This demo however is one of the better ones I have received all year. Aesthetically the packaging is awesome. Its a zine-style setup with a die-cut window on the cover where it displays the band's name over a reflective backdrop (as you can see in the picture). Overall this demo is a very promising one, and if I had the budget I probably would pick this band up. Check out Great Reversals, and recognize genuineness.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

We were recently contacted by both the band and label about hosting a stream for the debut Code Orange Kids EP entitled Cycles. Pre-orders launch on Mayfly Records in a few hours, so keep your eyes on their site if you want a copy or two. The band is slated to do a full US tour later this year, make sure to check them out when they are in your neck of the woods.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Southern California's SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP have completed three new releases to follow up their self titled LP which was released on A389/Southern Lord Records.

The first release will be available this halloween via A389 Recordings as a split 12" with California's extremely vicious CHILDREN OF GOD. This split 12" will feature three brand new tracks from both bands released as a one-time limited edition pressing of 1000 copies on black vinyl.

Both bands will be playing a record release show on 11/05/2011 @ Aladdin Jr in Pomona, CA alongside Gehenna, Nails, Creatures and The Mistake.

The band will then head over to the east coast to make a brief appearance in NY before heading over to the A389 8th Anniversary Bash to play alongside Eyehategod, Integrity, Starkweather, Gehenna, Junior Bruce (Ex-Bloodlet) Pulling Teeth, Weekend Nachos and more.

This will be followed up by a second new release on A389 in early 2012: a deluxe Gatefold 7"/CD titled 'Devil's Rain'. This release will feature three new songs in addition to a CD containing bonus tracks and new videos.

Finally, a third limited edition 7" release on the elusive boutique label Vedavu Records (Gehenna, Devil, Tafkata) containing yet another new song and a few other surprises.

Don't miss SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP playing a handful of shows into the new year.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Alex was kind enough to send down a copy of his zine for me to post a preview on the web and to show everyone.

Overview of what to expect:

Random photographs taken in his daily life

Rainfest 2011 Summary

Crazy Spirit/Walls/Criminal Code show review

Emerald City Comic-con

Pin Kitty (And Friends) comic

My Life To Live (Reviews, Poetry and More!)

He is currently giving away copies for NO cost, so if you want one hit him up on Facebook (linked above) and he'll send one out. I'm not sure if he has donations set up, but if he does throw a dollar or two his way if you're feeling friendly. He currently has 6 copies of the zine left in Color/Part B&W, and once those are gone he will be doing a second run in B&W only.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Disapproval is an up and coming new hardcore band from Southern California, playing a style much in vein of Think I Care and Meltdown yet can also have some similarities with Backtrack and other bands of the sort. While I am writing this review some what biased since Jesse and I go back to his days in Bottomfeeder and I’ve also been a fan of Offtrack, I will say that Disapproval combines what I liked about both bands and ups it even more. The band really captures the Think I Care sound on their newest songs from the split on Dimlight Records with Florida’s Losin’ It (who play youth crew hardcore in vein of Mental, Jaguarz and other Lockin' Out greats), these 3 originals and a Papsmear cover are my favorite by the group. Lyrics pertaining to hatred for current trends within the hardcore scene are apparent in “Dogtags” and the gang problem within “Mentiras” are common themes that Jesse seems to write about. The bands previous release, a 4 song demo tape out on Ride The Fury records also demonstrates that the band is one to be on the look out for with such bangers as “No Reward” which will have you banging your head and Murdario Stomping to the Disapproval Youth Authority groove. Get into it and maybe you’ll be in the thank you section of the next Disapproval Info. Zine.